Short-cut icons are individually created and arrayed according to the time order of creation on the display screen of electronic computing and communications devices, for conveniently accessing specific application programs, files, or data, without having to search for the program, file, or data from the directory structure of the connected storage device. By moving the “cursor” onto a specific icon representing the application, file, or data, and “clicking” the left button of the “mouse” input device, or by tapping an “electronic pen” on the icon, the specific application, file, or data is brought forth from connected storage device to the device screen for user access. The time-order of the creation of icons bears no relationship to the importance and frequency of use, therefore, appears to be rather random to the device user.
With the ever-increasing number of application programs, utilization of the devices, and the increasing number of files and data created, either automatically by the program installers, and/or by the user, the large number of short-cut icons clutter the larger device screens (see FIG. 1), confusing the user, and makes it difficult for the user to find a specific icon. The smaller display screens, such as on the wireless phones or PDAs, on the other hand, do not have enough space to display all of the icons for all of the applications, files, and data a user might desire to have convenient access to.
While a user can re-arrange the position of specific frequently used icons, one-by-one to preferred locations, such as the top row, or the first or last column, the creation of new icons would disturb such positioning. In addition, some applications, files, or data are frequently used at a certain time period, and at other time periods other applications, files, or data would become more frequently used. Therefore, the “re-positioning” of short-cut icons becomes laborious and inconvenient.
Deleting short-cut icons that are not frequently used from the display screen will make the “direct access” to these application, file, or data represented by the deleted icons no longer available, but would not delete the specific program, file, or data from the device. When situation changes, and a user needs to access these programs, files, or data, short-cut icons must be recreated for them. The process to create a short-cut icon for a program or file is not trivial, most users do not remember how to do it, and must relearn the process. Even if the user remembers how to do it, it is still a nuisance and a waste of time.